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German Chocolate Pie: The Ultimate Recipe & Baking Guide


  • Total Time: 210 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Description

Chocolate pie with flaky crust, rich filling, and coconut pecan frosting.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • ¼ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into cubes
  • 57 tablespoons ice water
  • 4 ounces (115g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 4 ounces (115g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 ½ cups chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  2. Cut in the cold butter and shortening using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly after each addition, until the dough just comes together.
  4. Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle.
  6. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges as desired.
  7. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork.
  8. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes.
  10. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden brown.
  11. Let the crust cool completely before filling.
  12. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  13. In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), melt the bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth.
  14. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  15. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  16. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
  17. Gradually add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture, mixing until well combined.
  18. Pour the chocolate filling into the cooled pie crust.
  19. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly soft in the center.
  20. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack.
  21. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt.
  22. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10-12 minutes.
  23. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
  24. Let the frosting cool slightly before spreading it over the cooled chocolate pie.
  25. Once the chocolate pie has completely cooled, spread the coconut pecan frosting evenly over the top.
  26. Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours before serving.
  27. Slice and serve!

Notes

  • Keeping the butter and shortening cold is crucial for a flaky pie crust.
  • Don’t overmix the pie dough.
  • Chilling the pie dough allows the gluten to relax, preventing shrinkage during baking.
  • Pricking the pie crust prevents it from puffing up.
  • Use pie weights or dried beans to help the crust keep its shape during blind baking.
  • Be careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water when melting the chocolate.
  • Make sure the melted chocolate isn’t too hot when adding it to the butter mixture.
  • Don’t stop stirring the frosting while it’s cooking to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
  • Let the frosting cool slightly before spreading it over the pie to prevent it from melting the chocolate filling.
  • Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the frosting to set and the flavors to meld together.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 1 hour